Pictures
by AnimatorZee
Summary: [Wind Waker] Some people write letters home when they're far away or travelling, but Link had other methods of staying in touch.


Link wasn't much of a talker, that much was hardly a secret to anyone on Outset Island. He was by no means mute; in fact, he was surprisingly vocal and expressive for someone who rarely spoke. It hardly ever crossed anyone's mind that Link never said more than necessary, and was by far more of a listener than a talker. Perhaps the only more known fact about Link was that he was fiercely protective of his family, especially his little sister.

So when Aryll was kidnapped by the monstrous Helmaroc King, it came to little surprise that Link dropped everything and did whatever he could to save her. This, sadly, meant that he joined the pirates and left Outset Island.

Everyone had been there to bid him farewell when he left. Link could be seen waving to them until he was too far from view to clearly make out. The island felt strangely quiet without him there, and for quite some time, the island was ill at ease, with several of the children constantly wondering aloud when Link would return, if he'd find Aryll, if either of them were alright. Things went downhill when the island became infested by monsters at night, and everyone was forced to bar their doors against the wandering ChuChus and Miniblins.

It was only after about a week or so that any news of their missing friends arrived. One of the Rito postmen arrived on Outset, the islanders were surprised to see that it was from none other than Link himself. The envelope was rather thick, and for a moment they all wondered if they had been sent a lengthy letter from the normally quiet boy. It wouldn't make any sense. Link wasn't the type to speak much, let alone write letters. If he ever did write one, he was typically polite, yet very brief. When his grandmother opened the envelope, however, they didn't find a single letter, much less a written word. Instead, there was a number of pictographs neatly stacked together inside the envelope.

At first, the islanders had been rather confused. Link had gone straight to the pirates' ship when he departed, and certainly couldn't have taken a pictobox with him. However, it soon became clear that he must have found one along the way somewhere. The first batch of photos consisted largely of a lighthouse, a shop on a hill, a wide open view of the sea, and an archway reading "Windfall". That Link had gone all the way north to Windfall Island was astounding on its own, but the feeling of relief that he was alright was far more prevalent.

A few long days went by without much more to be heard until the another envelope full of pictures arrived. This one was different from the last; instead of Windfall, there was a towering volcano and a dark cavern filled with lava. There were a few curious ones as well, including Link's outstretched hand as he held what appeared to be a long stretch of rope connected to a metal claw, as well as a few shots of rope bridges crossing bottomless pits or lakes of magma. Another of the photos included what appeared to be a young Rito girl. Although there was no sign of Link's sister, Quill reassured the islanders that Link was still looking for her. According to him, Link had a long road ahead of him, and he wanted to make sure that the islanders knew that he was alright, since he wouldn't be returning for quite some time.

It gradually became a daily occurrence. The denizens of Outset Island would gather together at the bright red mailbox, waiting for the Rito postman to arrive and hoping that Link had sent more pictographs. It didn't take too long for the next one to arrive, this one composed primarily of pictures of of what appeared to be a forest, one much more vast than the one atop Outset. There were a few shots of small creatures donning leaf masks, and a few of thick patches of grass, small ponds, and several platforms hanging from ziplines.

The number of photos was quickly escalating. The islanders eventually agreed that simply keeping them in an old box wouldn't do, and Link's Grandmother began to post all of them on her wall. A few of the villagers came over and assisted with the task while the children pestered the postman as to Link's whereabouts and adventures. There was another small gap between letters, and everyone eagerly awaited the next set. However, when they received the next envelope, it was far removed from the mood of the other sets if pictographs.

Within the envelope sat a single picture of a ruined island, with dark storm clouds floating overhead. Unlike the other pictographs Link had sent, this one was dark and foreboding. Fitting, that that evening was when a horrible storm rolled in. Everyone headed inside early, the rain pouring down and the thunder roaring overhead. Link's grandmother retreated within her house earlier than anyone else, mumbling in fear. The storm seemed to last forever, though they prayed for it to pass quickly. The monsters that plagued the island were particularly aggressive that night. Luckily, the storm faded with the rising of the sun.

When everyone returned outside, they found precise blade marks on various trees, and Mesa's entire vegetable patch was completely weed-free all of the sudden. It was only when they spoke to Link's grandmother, whom had more than recovered from her intense worry, that they discovered Link had paid the island a very brief visit during the storm. Sadly, the boy hadn't been able to stay long. He had yet to track down Aryll, but promised that he was close to rescuing her and that he promised she would be safe. He'd also left in quite a hurry, but not before promising to return soon. Many of the children were upset that Link had so briefly been close, but the promise of seeing him again soon kept them cheerful enough.

The next set of pictures eventually arrived, this set strikingly different from the rest. The pictographs were now in full, brilliant color, the first of which featuring an ancient stone tower standing in the middle of the ocean, more still of stone chambers within featuring strange statues and rooms filled with ocean water. Another pictograph was pointed skyward, featuring an enormous bell. There were several strange pictures in the set as well, including the interior of a large, marble building, with what appeared to be statues of monsters strewn about, large columns holding up walkways on an upper floor, and - to Sturgeon's great delight - a glorious statue of what appeared to be the Hero of Time himself. The final photo in the set featured a large chamber adorned with stained glass murals and a circle of enormous statues. In the center of the chamber, barely visible, was a single sword in a pedestal. The final pictograph featured a dark fortress adorned with cannons and searchlights. However, something else was included in the set: a large, dark blue feather. Orca quickly identified it as one of the feathers belonging to the giant bird that had carried Aryll away, and its inclusion could mean that Aryll was safe at last.

By this point, the wall in Link's house was plastered with photos. More and more sets began to arrive, this time from a wide variety of places, including catacombs, submarines, an enormous chamber full of sand, an iron tower, and a particularly amusing shot of a recently-awoken flock of keese. There were a few shots in particular that Link had taken of himself alongside others, including one of the leaf mask-wearing creatures and the Rito girl. The villagers scrambled to find places for the increasing number of pictographs on the designated wall, but they were running out of places quickly.

The day finally came when Link and Aryll, accompanied by the pirates from before, returned to Outset. Link in particular looked exhausted, and had a few visible bruises (as well as a curious burn mark on the back of his left hand), but he looked relieved to be home. They were all given a hero's welcome back home, and Link was all too happy for some rest from his journey. The next morning, however, Link revealed that he would not be staying on Outset. Once he had fully recovered from his journey, he would continue to travel with the pirates. His grandmother and Aryll were sad to hear this, as were many of the other islanders.

"But we miss you!" The other children said. "Will you ever come back to visit, Link? You can come and tell us about all the things you see!"

In reply, Link simply smiled and nodded. Then, after a quiet moment, patted the pouch on his belt, out of which the lens of a bright red pictobox was peeking out.


End file.
